In an email to the Hamilton community on Sept. 15, President Joan Stewart announced the death of James L. Ferguson Professor of Psychology Jonathan Vaughan.
Dear Members of the Hamilton Community,
I am deeply sad to be writing about the death of a wonderful member of the Hamilton community. We received word last night that James L. Ferguson Professor of Psychology Jonathan Vaughan died early yesterday morning from complications of pneumonia. His wife Beejie reports that his children and grandchildren visited with him the previous day. Jon had been on a medical leave this semester to pursue treatment for throat cancer.
A member of the Hamilton faculty since 1971, Jon was widely respected by his peers, his students, the many alumni whose lives he touched and colleagues in his field. He was one of our most cited scientists, having published extensively, often with student co-authors. Jon also served as editor or consulting editor for professional journals, notably the Journal of Experimental Psychology, and was the recipient of multiple grants and fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Mental Health.
Jon will be remembered as an excellent colleague, an outstanding teacher and a caring and enthusiastic mentor. He regularly advised students on their senior projects, championed the work of Hamilton students at the New England Center for Children and supervised the research of our psychology students in the Clinton schools. His service to Hamilton included membership on the Committee on Academic Policy and the Committee on Appointments, and chairing the Psychology Department, most recently in 2010-11.
Jon represented the high ideals of a Hamilton faculty member.
Editor's note: David Rosenbaum, Jon Vaughan's long-time collaborator and friend, put together a video tribute to Jon.
